Asbestos Poisoning 2

Asbestos Poisoning 2
Other diseases caused by asbestos poisoning include:

Asbestos Warts – this is caused when the sharp asbestos fibers are lodge in the skin. When this occurs, the body responds with inflammation that causes skin to overgrow the asbestos fibers. This can lead to callous-like growths around the affected region. It is regarded as a relatively harmless condition.

Pleural Diseases – Can be caused when asbestos fibers penetrate the pleura, a sac that covers the outer surface of the lungs. Pleural plaques are discrete fibrous or partially calcified thickened area of the pleura. Diffuse pleural thickening is similar to pleural plaques and is sometimes associated with asbestosis. If these pleural diseases are extensive and widespread, it can cause impairment of lung function.

Other Cancers – besides mesothelioma and lung cancers, other cancers has been shown to be associated with asbestos exposure and poisoning. These are all gastrointestinal cancers with cancers of the esophagus, stomach, colon and rectum being reported. Also, asbestos poisoning has been linked to some cases of larynx cancer.

Although the current use of asbestos and asbestos products has dramatically decreased, they are still found in many residential and commercial settings and continue to pose a health risk to workers and others. Research has yet to determine a safe level of exposure to asbestos, but one thing is for certain; the more prolonged the exposure, the greater the risk becomes for developing an asbestos related disease.

Until 1972, most of the buildings in North America were constructed with asbestos, including schools, offices and homes. At the time, no one had any idea that when inhaled asbestos was deadly. Today, people and asbestos precariously coexist in old buildings – which may lead to future asbestos-related problems since symptoms of asbestos poisoning can go unnoticed for many years. This somewhat reflects that society has not necessarily taken all the appropriate precautions to protect the public despite our increasing knowledge about asbestos and its hazards.

Asbestos Poisoning 1

Asbestos Poisoning 1
There are three major diseases that are triggered by asbestos poisoning. These are asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer. A more comprehensive review of these diseases can be found on separate web pages.

Asbestosis is caused when asbestos fibers are inhaled and become trapped in the lungs. In response to the foreign objects (asbestos fibers), the body tries to get rid of it by attempting to dissolve the particles by producing an acid. Unfortunately, the acid has virtually no impact on the asbestos fibers, but is detrimental to the lung tissues. With continual acid secretions, scarring of the lung tissue will lead to pulmonary fibrosis. The scarring can become so severe that it will reduce the functioning of the lungs.

Mesothelioma is a cancer of affecting the outside tissue of the lungs – the pleura, peritoneum, and pericardium. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is solely attributed to asbestos poisoning. Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 10 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Mesothelioma, like other cancers, can be lethal if it metastasize and invade other organs. The prognosis for mesothelioma is not good. It is estimated that people die within two to four years once mesothelioma is diagnosed.

Lung Cancer can also be caused by exposure to asbestos. Lung cancer is a malignant tumour of the lungs, and is the most lethal malignant tumor worldwide. Most commonly it is bronchogenic carcinoma - about 90% of lung cancer cases. The chances of developing lung cancer from asbestos are greatly increased with smoking. The exposure to manifestation period for lung cancer from asbestos exposure is from 15 to 35 years.